manynovel Chapter 230: Tan Ming Shows His Might, Encountering Gold Again!
Chapter 230: Tan Ming Shows His Might, Encountering Gold Again!
The sky is brightening.A touch of morning light was the first to pierce through the dark night, stretching a warm white glow across the edge of the horizon and dispelling some of the early autumn chill.
Immediately after, the darkness over the water surface faded layer by layer, and along with it, the lingering unease in their hearts was significantly suppressed by this dawn light.
The second night following the eruption of the Immortal Item's domain was finally safely passed.
Cheng Ye took off his helmet and rubbed his throbbing temples, unable to avoid a sense of deep mental exhaustion.
The night seemed peaceful, but in reality, his nerves had been taut the entire time, not daring to relax for even a moment.
"Breakfast is here, how many bags do you want?"
Luo Kuke walked over from behind carrying a heavy box filled with specially made nutritional slurry packaged in black bags.
After drinking this stuff, falling asleep would not be easy.
The two exchanged a glance without speaking, yet both read the meaning in each other's eyes:
When it was dark, it was the domain of the Infection Sources and Infected Bodies.
When the sky is brightening, it was the Inspectors' turn to expand their domain and seize the initiative.
Having stood guard on the shore all night, finally waiting for the sun to rise, they naturally could not miss the opportunity to go underwater and investigate.
"Ten bags!"
Cheng Ye grinned and took the nutritional slurry Luo Kuke handed him. Tearing open a bag, he poured it straight into his mouth. The cold liquid slid down his throat, instantly bringing a refreshing jolt of clarity.
Before the sky had completely brightened, the residents of both the red and blue camps began waking up one after another. The sounds of washing up and chatter gradually rose, dispelling the silence of Dabo Town.
In just two days, this place had fully regained its vitality.
Only the Riverside still retained a bit of deathly stillness; further into the town, it was already a bustling scene.
"Inspector Luo," Cheng Ye suddenly spoke up.
"Hmm?"
"Remember to follow my orders. Do not break away from my command."
"Rest assured." Luo Kuke pointed at his head, guaranteeing with a smile, "My strength might be average, but I have a clear head. I will not cause trouble."
"For now, we will return to our respective districts and reassure the residents." Cheng Ye picked up his Defense Terminal and checked the time. "In half an hour, at six-thirty, we will gather at the pier and enter the water."
"Understood!"
The two parted ways at the pier, one heading toward the red district and the other toward the blue district.
If their cooperation yesterday was merely an alliance of interests formed to complete the mission of securing the Immortal Item and surviving, then after a night of conversation, their relationship had already changed.
Many would attribute this change to a one-sided force of personality, but as he walked back to the blue district, Cheng Ye felt it was more like finding a kindred spirit.
'Station Master Ding really assigned me quite a good teammate this time,'
Cheng Ye thought with a sigh of appreciation.
Returning to the blue district, he first briefly outlined the day's tasks around the residential area, then handed over the specific management authority to Wang Kang.
After last night's infection, Wang Kang could now see Infection Sources and possessed the Stamina bolstered by the Ten Thousand Step Iron, making him fully capable of handling emergencies.
It was worth mentioning that, truly living up to the resilience of Wastelanders, the residents who had been severely dehydrated yesterday had already recovered to normal by morning.
Although they still looked a bit weak, seeing the others working with fervent energy, they also got up one after another, offering to help with whatever tasks they could manage.
Cheng Ye naturally would not pass up this opportunity to boost morale. He turned and walked to the truck, opened the first carriage, and with a few members of the Patrol Team, carried out hundreds of kilograms of Large Beef Bones with the meat still attached, along with plenty of fresh vegetables.
Thanks to the dry ice freezing them in the carriage, these ingredients remained fresh to this moment, still emanating wisps of chill.
"This is an extra reward for everyone completing their tasks yesterday!"
Cheng Ye held up a large beef bone and loudly declared to the residents of the blue district, "Shen Yan, you will lead some people to fire up the pots and boil some soup later. Everyone gets a share. I guarantee you will all get to eat meat and drink hot soup!"
A massive cheer erupted.
The hundreds of people in the blue district instantly boiled over with excitement, their enthusiastic shouts echoing far into the distance.
The residents of the red district who had just woken up heard the commotion and hurried over to see the spectacle. The moment they saw the meat-laden beef bones and fresh vegetables, their eyes went wide.
The blue district got to eat this well?
Did they lose again?
Right at that moment, Luo Kuke walked out from the red district, cleared his throat, and loudly announced, "This is the blue district's reward for the first day, considering our red district suffered casualties. But do not worry, everyone. I slightly bested Inspector Cheng yesterday. This afternoon, a new batch of ingredients will be shipped over, and everyone in our red district will get their share too!"
Huh?
Hearing that Luo Kuke had won, the red district residents did not show much of a reaction.
But upon hearing that they would also get a share in the afternoon, the crowd was briefly stunned. Then, sparse applause began, which instantly swelled into a thunderous ovation, with some even unable to hold back loud cheers.
Using a few minor tricks to mobilize people's spirits was not difficult at all.
After settling the residents, the two adjusted their mindsets and arrived at the water's edge before six-thirty.
The sun had completely risen.
Following the light rain, the sky had cleared exceptionally well, without a single cloud in sight. Sunlight scattered across the river's surface, shimmering with radiant ripples.
The two first did a quick warm-up, then donned their Obsidian Battle Armor and slipped into their Passage Padded Garments. With practiced movements, they dove into the water and swam toward the direction of the Chamber.
"Huh, why is the purple light underwater so much weaker today?"
Just as they crossed the twenty-five-meter boundary, Cheng Ye frowned.
The intensity of the purple light underwater was far inferior to yesterday's. It felt like only a third of what it had been when they first saw it, and even its coverage area had shrunk considerably.
'Could it be that the purple barrier from yesterday heavily consumed the Demonic Eye Sponge?'
Cheng Ye looked around and noticed that the purple barrier previously enveloping the Chamber had dissipated. However, when his gaze swept over the stretch of sponge covering the Cavern, he froze.
A barrier almost solidified into physical substance, resembling a purple gemstone, evenly blanketed the entrance to the Cavern.
'Did yesterday's explosion take effect?'
'Did Tan Ming discover that the Myriad Command Earth Dharma Conch down below was secretly cultivating?'
Startled, Cheng Ye did not dare rashly touch the barrier with his hands clad in the padded garment. Instead, he and Luo Kuke swam through the gap in the Chamber's wall, planning to head to the Second Layer first to assess the situation.
Stepping onto the Biological Elevator, the familiar sensation of transport washed over them.
But when the purple light barrier leading to the Second Layer appeared before his eyes, Cheng Ye instantly widened them in shock.
'Holy crap.'
'What the hell is this?'
The barrier that had shone with brilliant purple light just yesterday was now wrapped in wisps of Blood Red Essence, looking like a terrifying blood gate.
A Thrust came from behind, yet the two were not sent into the Second Layer as usual. Instead, they collided against the barrier with a dull thump and were bounced right back.
"Why can't we go in?" Luo Kuke rubbed his head, speaking somewhat dizzyingly.
'Could it be that the Demonic Eye Sponge had already discovered that the two of them were actually sponge-traitors?'
Cheng Ye had also been bounced back, landing on his rear. He stood up without a word and placed his palm flat against the barrier, carefully sensing it.
A few seconds later, his expression drastically changed, his eyes filled with disbelief. "Tan Ming... Lord Tan is actually this powerful?"
What this Light Gate was repelling was actually the Essence of the Chamber Patterns on their bodies!
'Could it be that the reason no Crab-men came ashore last night was because Tan Ming completely sealed this barrier, intent on trapping the Crab-men and even the Immortal Item inside to slaughter them?'
Cheng Ye's heart trembled. 'Just how deep was Tan Ming's Obsession in life, for him to take such insane actions after death?'
He steadied himself and looked at Luo Kuke. "Wait for me here. I'm going in to check the situation."
"Is it dangerous?"
"For you, probably. But for me..."
Saying this, Cheng Ye shook his head and simply stripped off the Passage Padded Garment.
Almost the exact moment he took it off, he could feel a few peculiar Essences from within the Chamber staring at him.
But in the very next second, those Essences were drawn away by much more intense commotion, paying him no further heed. This proved that within the Cavern of the Chamber's Second Layer, a massive change was indeed taking place.
"Alright, I'll wait for you right here!" Seeing that Cheng Ye had taken off the garment and could now reach his hand inside, Luo Kuke immediately understood.
The Passage Padded Garments could not be brought inside. One of them had to stay at the entrance to guard the suits, ensuring they could use them to return to the outside world once the investigation concluded.
If both went in and the garments were somehow destroyed, they would be utterly trapped inside!
"Be careful in all things. If you encounter danger, just retreat. Do not worry about me."
"Understood."
With that, Cheng Ye took a step inside.
The familiar dizzying sensation instantly crashed over him, as if his perception was being forcibly dismantled and reconstructed. A second later, he stood firmly on the ground of the Cavern's Second Layer.
Driven almost entirely by physical instinct, he fiercely darted backward and to the side.
Clack! Clack!
Six or seven gleaming crab claws viciously smashed into the spot he had just been standing. The hard, rocky ground was instantly cratered with several pits of varying depths as loose stones flew in all directions.
'Crab-men are actually guarding the entrance to the Light Gate?'
'Who are they trying to ambush here?'
Cheng Ye's peripheral vision rapidly swept the area. He saw a dense ring of Crab-men surrounding the Light Gate connecting the first and Second Layers. Their carapaces gleamed a dull, dark cyan-black, and their claws were stained with dried red mucus. They stared at him with ferocious visages, evidently having been prepared all along.
Even more abnormally, despite him wearing the Obsidian Battle Armor, these Crab-men seemed to have locked onto him as a target, glaring fixedly in his direction without the slightest hesitation.
In a flash of lightning, he pondered for a moment and decided not to stay and slaughter these Crab-men.
Instead, he pushed off his feet. His entire body's power erupted instantly as he charged like an Afterimage toward the lakeside direction he had seen yesterday.
However, barely five hundred meters from the Light Gate, Cheng Ye abruptly halted in his tracks, profound shock flashing through his eyes.
Within the five-hundred-meter radius around the Light Gate, the flora still maintained its appearance from yesterday.
But the moment he crossed that boundary, the scenery underwent a drastic transformation. It was as if the surrounding vegetation had been doused in powerful herbicide. Leaves yellowed and curled at a visible rate, vines hung shriveled over the rocks, and even the moss on the ground lost all its moisture, turning into grey-brown dust.
Though it was clearly the same Cavern, it felt as though it had been forcibly split into two different seasons.
The first half boasted the Vitality of spring, while the latter half held the bleakness of late autumn. A Suppressed, deathly still Essence assaulted his face, taking Cheng Ye aback.
"Has Tan Ming's curse seeped in here?"
Cheng Ye muttered to himself, somewhat unable to believe it. Yet, in that brief moment of distraction, the sounds of intense fighting mingled with the roars of Crab-men drifted over from a distant corner.
'Is someone else dealing with the Crab-men?'
With a shift in thought, Cheng Ye immediately composed himself. He quickly memorized the shapes of several uniquely formed large trees nearby and rushed toward the source of the commotion.
The enemy of an enemy is a friend.
No matter what was fighting the Crab-men, as long as it could whittle away the Immortal Item's power, it was a good thing.
As the distance closed, Cheng Ye held his breath. Hiding his body behind the shadow of a withered tree, he stealthily peeked out to look.
That single glance sent another shock through his heart.
Seven Crab-men were frantically besieging three Blood Red figures. These human-like silhouettes lacked clear facial features and stood only a little over 1.7 meters tall, brawling barehanded against the Crab-men.
One figure was carelessly struck by a pincer, instantly disintegrating into a puddle of bloody water that splattered across the ground.
But in the next second, centering on that puddle of blood, all the Vitality seemed to be sucked dry from the surrounding vegetation. The plants rapidly yellowed and began to Atrophy, while the bloody water, nourished by the Vitality, reformed back into a figure and resumed slaughtering the Crab-men.
'The Petrification Curse... achieved Transformation? And it can rely on plant Vitality to sustain an immortal body?'
Cheng Ye was utterly astounded. He had not expected Tan Ming to possess such an incredible ace up his sleeve.
'Exactly how did he intend to modify the soil back then, so that Shi Province could grow transcendent flora?'
'Could it be that he wanted to extract the Vitality from other plants, concentrating and stacking it onto a single plant to catalyze its growth?'
This was a completely unexpected delight. When he had bombed open the passageway, Cheng Ye had only wanted to see if introducing the curse could restrict the Immortal Item and relieve some pressure at night. He had not anticipated it would play such a massive role.
One had to understand, even if a hundred thousand Crab-men were lined up for him to kill, he would not finish them off even if he slaughtered for three days and three nights straight.
But now, with the Petrification Curse helping clear the field, they might truly be able to wipe out this troublesome Crab-men army.
As Cheng Ye was pondering, he suddenly stepped aside. Over a dozen more Crab-men hurried over upon hearing the noise, tightly encircling the three Blood Red figures and bringing their giant pincers crashing down repeatedly.
The blood water and human forms continuously swapped back and forth, and the surrounding plants subsequently withered away in swaths.
It was not until there was no trace of Vitality left to absorb within fifty meters that the three figures, after being pulverized into bloody puddles by the pincers, finally let out a wretched howl. They morphed into wisps of red Essence and completely evaporated into the air.
'So they aren't truly immortal. It's just that as long as there's a supply of Vitality, they can infinitely resurrect?'
Cheng Ye immediately understood. He then resumed his pace, continuing toward the Lake.
Along the way, he alternately traversed through withered, deathly still zones and sections Full of Vitality with flourishing greenery. From time to time, he could hear the sounds of combat echoing from afar.
With this, his train of thought became clear. The purple Light Gate was likely the entrance to the Cavern. The gap he had blown open earlier allowed Tan Ming's cursed Essence to seep in, transforming into Blood Red figures to wreak havoc all over the Cavern.
And the Demonic Eye Sponge ordering the Crab-men to guard the Light Gate was presumably a precaution against these Blood Red figures breaking through.
Yet Tan Ming's curse had also polluted the Light Gate, prohibiting Crab-men bearing Chamber Patterns from passing through.
These two elements had completely choked off the opposition's path. The two sides were in an absolute stalemate!
'Wonderful!'
Cheng Ye could not help but sigh with admiration in his heart. 'Lord Tan, having aided me this time, I will undoubtedly fulfill your final wishes in the future!'
When he finally hurried to the edge of the Lake, the joy in his heart was beyond words.
It had shrunk!
It had finally shrunk!
The colossal, sun-like Myriad Command Earth Dharma Conch had miraculously shrunk in size by a third overnight.
Although it was still far too massive to be stored via conventional Containment compared to the size he had seen in the intelligence space, this massive change had already paved an excellent path forward.
'The handbook did not deceive me. When attempting the Containment of Infection Sources, Strength is only one aspect. More importantly, you need brains...'
'This trick of driving the tiger to swallow the wolf—even an ordinary person bringing a Bomb in could potentially pull it off, provided they find the exact right spot!'
Thinking this, Cheng Ye felt an unavoidable pang of regret. Had he not wasted those Bombs blowing up Crab-men, would more of the cursed Essence have seeped in by now?
However, he still had opportunities before him. Since he had figured out a viable strategy, he had a method to continue executing it.
Looking back at the Lake's edge, the majority of the Crab-men that had previously knelt there in worship had dispersed. Only a small fraction remained, prostrating beneath the glow of the Myriad Command Earth Dharma Conch.
The conch's surface intermittently flashed with pale white Halos, appearing to still be attempting to repair this curse-eroded space.
But with every massive surge of its Halo, dozens of the worshipping Crab-men exploded into motes of white light. Those specks of light then drifted into the conch's body, as though replenishing its energy.
"This thing is absolutely a demonic object. It's far too eerie."
Cheng Ye furrowed his brows deeply, suddenly recalling what the Elder had said—that using an Immortal Item came at an unimaginable Cost.
At this very moment, he finally somewhat understood. If this Cost required the sacrifice of countless lives to sustain it, then should this Immortal Item ever fall into the hands of an ambitious villain, it would absolutely unleash an unfathomable catastrophe.
After observing for a while, Cheng Ye turned his head and departed.
He did not rush back to the Light Gate to study how to destroy the entrance. Instead, he moved toward one of the battlefields.
Unlike the three Blood Red figures he had seen earlier, who had fought independently and were eventually defeated one by one by the Crab-men, the five figures in this ongoing clash were different. Although they were also surrounded, when two of them were pulverized into bloody sludge, they did not remold into humanoid forms. Instead, like living entities, the fluid rapidly slithered and clung onto their nearby companions.
The bloodlight abruptly soared. The height of the two possessed Blood Red figures shot up to two meters, rendering them almost eye-to-eye with the Crab-men. The sheer force of their fists and kicks noticeably amplified—a single punch was enough to crack open a Crab-man's carapace.
However.
Attempting to scan the enlarged Blood Red figures... yielded no response!
It seemed these Blood Red figures possessed no intellect; they were purely the power of the curse materialized into human shape.
'Then, if I manage to kill them, could they be documented into the Biological Compendium to Extract Trait?'
Pondering this, Cheng Ye attempted to activate his Size-as-Desired ability.
Yet to his disappointment, while the ability provided by the Shrinking Earth Giant Louse was at Level 5, the Runes affecting physical dimensions inside the Chamber boasted a status even higher than transcendent power. There was absolutely no way to break through their suppression.
Currently, standing slightly over thirty centimeters tall, his physical attributes remained intact, but his frame was far too small to extend his reach or unleash full martial prowess. His combat effectiveness was severely compromised.
'If the Runes suppress activation... what if I use my ability to magnify my body before entering?'
Cheng Ye streamlined his line of thought.
Regardless of whether his guess was correct, he would know for sure by stepping outside and trying it once.
Moreover, he was currently unarmed, and wielding an ordinary Crab-man's pincer would be rather inconvenient.
Hesitating no longer, he spun around and raced toward the Light Gate.
Approaching the entrance, he first deliberately made noise along the perimeter to draw the Crab-men's attention. As they swarmed over, he took advantage of his petite frame, Agilely slipping through their encirclement and plunging out through the Light Gate.
The roaring of Crab-men echoed from behind him as they attempted to pursue, but a bloody flash flared across the Light Gate, brutally repelling every single Crab-man. They dared not approach again.
"How did it go?" Luo Kuke, who had been vigilantly standing guard in a shadowed corner, hurried over dragging the padded garment the moment he saw Cheng Ye exit.
"Great news! Heavenly good news!"
Cheng Ye explained while walking and sliding back into the Passage Padded Garment. "I bombed open the Cavern entrance yesterday. Tan Ming's curse has seeped inside, and right now, it's fiercely battling the Immortal Item's side!"
"Tan Ming?" Luo Kuke paused, failing to react immediately.
"The Petrification Curse right beneath our feet!"
"Ah! The curse!" Luo Kuke's brain finally caught up, instantly understanding the implications. Unrestrained joy immediately surfaced on his face. "Then what should we do now..."
"There's no rush to destroy the entrance just yet."
Cheng Ye interrupted him. "Let's go, let's go. We'll fetch our weapons first, then head back inside! We must strike while it's chaotic. We'll slaughter as many Crab-men as we can and casually test if we can execute the Containment of any internal Infection Sources. Our priority is weakening the Immortal Item's power for now!"
Once ashore, Cheng Ye retrieved his Red Blade and Purple Blade, while Luo Kuke also pulled two razor-sharp short swords from his Equipment Box.
Additionally, the two of them each brought along two Annihilation-grade Containment Boxes. In case they stumbled upon Infection Sources suitable for Containment, they could strike without delay.
However, right before re-entering the Chamber this time, Cheng Ye deliberately paused his steps. He channeled his Size-as-Desired ability, enlarging his physical body to its absolute limits.
As expected, the Chamber seemed to sense his bodily shift. The tiny aperture meant for two humans to cross instantly expanded, morphing into a massive passage wide enough to accommodate yesterday's Crab-man Fusion Entity—which was just enough for his newly gigantified frame to squeeze through.
Pushing inside the Chamber's interior and standing upon the Biological Elevator, the familiar runic power silently flared to life.
Yet, exactly as Cheng Ye had predicted, the Runes merely scaled down his current size by a factor of six. It did not completely dispel the base effects of Size-as-Desired.
Ultimately, his height stalled out at around eighty-six centimeters. Although he was still a tiny dwarf, compared to being compressed into a thirty-something-centimeter toy, this size allowed him to swing his twin blades naturally, thus decently unfurling his combat capabilities.
What delighted him even more was that the physical enhancements compounded by Size-as-Desired had not fully vanished.
A portion was nullified by the power of the Runes, but the remnants remained fully operational, elevating his strength and speed to more than double his usual norm!
"Hell yeah!"
Cheng Ye casually dropped the Passage Padded Garment near the Light Gate, not harboring a shred of concern over it being destroyed.
In any case, he still possessed 100% of his energy. If it truly went missing, he could fabricate a new one to enter and exit at any given moment.
"I'll go in first to clear the floor. You keep an eye on the time and step through after exactly three minutes. Do not show your face early."
"Okay!"
Luo Kuke nervously nodded at once. Tightly gripping the short swords strapped to his back, he fixed his gaze unblinkingly onto the Light Gate.
Fortunately, their weapons and Containment Boxes had scaled down proportionally alongside their bodies, fitting perfectly within their grip.
Once the three minutes were up, Luo Kuke first tossed the four Containment Boxes through the Light Gate, then followed them inside with a single step.
Whoosh.
The moment he steadied his footing, a pungent, bloody stench washed over his face. He saw that the dozens of Crab-men ringing the Light Gate were already sprawled across the floor in scattered piles. Their carapaces had been smashed to pieces, leaving dark green bodily fluids pooled all over the ground.
Cheng Ye stood tall amidst the corpses like a demonic god, his left hand wielding the Purple Blade and his right hand brandishing the Red Blade.
If only his frame were somewhat larger, he would undeniably look extraordinarily majestic.
"What are you standing around for? Let's move, lest we get surrounded!"
Cheng Ye barked. Snapped back to reality, Luo Kuke hurriedly sheathed his short swords on his back, grabbing two Containment Boxes in each hand and quickening his pace to keep up.
Leaving the Light Gate's territory, Cheng Ye instantly utilized sound to distinguish location and rushed off toward a battlefield.
Twelve Crab-men were ganging up on two Blood Red silhouettes.
The Blood Red figures struggled to hold their ground, but every single time they managed to resurrect, the Crab-men spawn-camped and slaughtered them anew.
Witnessing the vegetation within a fifty-meter radius nearly drained into withered husks, the silhouettes' resurrection speed was grinding slower and slower.
"All of you, die!"
Cheng Ye let out a low growl and charged forward.
Becoming infinitely more Agile thanks to his shrunk size, combined with his doubled physical stats, his speed made him look like a flickering Afterimage, effortlessly weaving through the throng of Crab-men.
The Red Blade and Purple Blade danced in a dazzling flurry. Crab pincers and legs tumbled to the floor in droves. In a mere thirty seconds, all twelve Crab-men were minced to pieces, their dark green fluids staining the terrain.
The two surviving Blood Red figures paused. After staring blankly at Cheng Ye for a moment, they actually sprawled out over the earth, suckling upon it like sponges absorbing water.
Wisps of red Essence seeped from their forms into the soil. The previously withered and yellowed plants abruptly forfeited their absolute final trace of Vitality, dissolving into flakes of dust.
Meanwhile, threads of pale green Vitality fed back into the silhouettes. Their shriveled husks progressively swelled up, and their crimson hue gained a noticeably brighter luster.
"So this thing can actively pollute the earth and absorb its Vitality?"
Cheng Ye watched in mild astonishment, yet the blades in his grip did not pause. "Apologies, Lord Tan. Permit me to borrow your Essence!"
With a chain of flashing blade arcs, the two silhouettes were instantaneously decimated into puddles of bloody slurry.
Once they recuperated, they were immediately slaughtered anew.
After repeating this process three times, the Vitality within fifty meters perished entirely, dissolving into wisps of red Essence.
Concurrently, the Collector proved reliable as expected. A string of notification prompts unfurled across the interface panel.
[The Collector has detected dissipating biological information. Commencing automatic absorption.]
[Absorption complete. Documenting new entry into the Biological Compendium: Tan Ming.]
"Tan Ming?"
Cheng Ye's heart leapt as he watched the compendium's pages auto-turn.
The first page's twenty records had already been completely filled throughout these past days of slaughter and Containment.
As the interface flipped onto the second page, Cheng Ye drew a deep breath and somewhat apprehensively observed the latest record.
The very next second.
A blazing and intimately familiar streak of gold abruptly flashed before his eyes!